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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25813099">Decision</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShayneyL/pseuds/ShayneyL'>ShayneyL</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Trek, Star Trek: Voyager</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Episode: s07e25 Endgame (Star Trek: Voyager), F/M, Prompt Fic, Writer's Month 2020, made up Vulcan stuff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 12:00:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>598</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25813099</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShayneyL/pseuds/ShayneyL</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Tuvok's condition is deteriorating, and T'Pel has a hard choice to make.</p><p>This story takes place during the original "Endgame" timeline.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kathryn Janeway &amp; Tuvok (Star Trek), T'Pel/Tuvok (Star Trek)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Writer's Month 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Decision</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Writer's Month 2020, Day 9. The prompt is "illness."</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ: *⋆.*:･ﾟ .: ⋆*･ﾟ: .⋆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆</p>
</div><p>         T'Pel's first inclination was to refuse.  She understood that this was the result of irrational emotions, and should not be allowed to influence the outcome.  There was merit to the proposal.  She must meditate, purge the irrelevant emotions, and come to a logical decision.</p><p>         	She had a fine meditation chamber, with a comfortable support for kneeling and a meditation lamp that had been Tuvok's first courtship gift.  But she found herself going instead to the greenhouse.</p><p>         	Tuvok had a keen interest in orchids.  He spent much time here, caring for many exotic specimens from Earth and other planets.  But his mental condition was evident in the condition of his greenhouse.  T'Pel had not come here for quite some time, and seeing the orchids — untrimmed, overgrown, some withered for lack of water and some rotting from too much — made Tuvok's mental deterioration sharply obvious.</p><p>         	He needed help.  His neurological degeneration was more advanced than she had realized. And she was unable to care for him, just as he was unable to care for his orchids.</p><p>         	If he had been treated sooner, this could have been avoided. By the time <i>Voyager</i> returned home, it was too late for the <i>fal-tor-voh</i>.  Their oldest son would have been compatible, but the <i>l'tak zakar</i> had reached the point that the <i>fal-tor-voh </i>would not have been effective; it would be unacceptably dangerous to Sek even to try<i>.</i></p><p>         Tuvok was a strong telepath; the <i>l'tak zakar</i> had eroded his logic, but not his psychic ability. His madness was increasingly a danger to other Vulcans, who were vulnerable to being sucked into it.  Most especially his bondmate.</p><p>         	Eventually, it would be too risky to see Tuvok, except via comm from a safe distance.  That day was imminent, judging from the situation in his greenhouse. Soon, she would have to go to the priestesses and have their bond dissolved.  She would have to take a new mate in order to survive the <i>pon farr</i>.</p><p>         	The <i>t'hy'la </i>of her husband, Admiral Janeway, had contacted her this morning, offering to take Tuvok to Earth and have him cared for there by Starfleet doctors.  The admiral hoped they could cure him.  T'Pel knew that it was far too late.  No one could do that now, including that holographic doctor, advanced though he was.</p><p>         	She knew Admiral Janeway felt considerable guilt over not being able to bring Tuvok home in time for a cure. Perhaps that was why she made this offer. Regardless of the reasons, the admiral might be in a better position to care for Tuvok than was his family.  Being a mind-blind human, she could safely visit him in person. If he remained on Vulcan, T'Pel would soon have to turn him over to the priestesses, who were trained to deal with madness and not be affected.  She and the rest of the family would only see him via comm, which they could do equally well if he were on Earth.</p><p>         	What would Tuvok's preference be, if he were capable of making the decision himself?  When she thought of it that way, the answer was obvious.  Vulcan was his home, but Tuvok had chosen to spend most of his life in Starfleet, among humans. On Earth, he would be able to see his human friends in person, including his <i>t'hy'la</i>. 

</p><p>         Tomorrow, she would return to this greenhouse and try to care for Tuvok's orchids.  Today, she would turn the care of Tuvok over to one who was better capable of it.</p><p>         	"Farewell, my husband," she whispered, then went to contact Kathryn Janeway.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>One thing (of many, I confess) that bugged me about "Endgame": there was no sign of Tuvok's family.  Why was he on Earth, instead of on Vulcan? Why did we not see his wife, T'Pel? They didn't have to get the same actress, if she was busy; they already used two different actresses to play T'Pel, why not one more?</p><p>They didn't even have to show us T'Pel.  In the dialog, Tuvok recites the names of all the people who visit him.  None of his family is on the list. Why not include T'Pel?  Then Janeway says goodbye to Tuvok, and says Reg and the Doc will take care of him if she doesn't return.  Still no mention of his family.</p><p>So, this is my explanation of why Tuvok's family apparently cut ties with him.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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